


Laughter Keeps the Sorrow Away

by BluBooThalassophile



Series: HfaB Universe [51]
Category: Batgirl (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU, Nightwing (Comics), Teen Titans - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adoption, Family Bonding, Magic, Multi, Not Canon Compliant, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-04
Updated: 2019-04-04
Packaged: 2020-01-04 22:41:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18353195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BluBooThalassophile/pseuds/BluBooThalassophile
Summary: It's a universal understanding, mothers will do anything to keep their children safe. Even sell their soul to a demon and tear the fabric of reality apart to save their child. And never let it be said Barbara Grayson wouldn't go the distance if push came to shove to save her son.





	Laughter Keeps the Sorrow Away

**Earth 22 - Dark Multiverse**

She trembled as she held her four year old tightly to her breasts, soothingly bouncing the sleeping boy as she watched Zatanna work quickly.

“Are you certain you want to do this?” Zatanna whispered.

“As long as he’s here he’s never going to be safe,” she whispered, looking at the sleeping face on her shoulder. The boy looked like his father, except his hair was straight, pure black with blue undertones; that chin, that mouth, those eyebrows, that was all his father’s. His eyes though… they were her green eyes, and that nose with a bunch of freckles on it was her father’s. The toddler was as boneless as his father, and she thought it endearing and annoying, she never wanted to let him go.

“There’s another way?”

“What other way!?” she hissed softly, refusing to wake her boy and have him in full screaming mode. She didn’t want his last memories of her to be ones where she was upset or crying, she wanted him to remember how tightly she held him, how much she loved him, how much he meant to her.

“We… We’ll stop him.”

“We can’t, we’re all that’s left, and we can’t stop him.”

“I could…”

“Zatanna, it’s over, we don’t win here, but… but maybe he can be somewhere where he’s safe and loved and that’s… I can live with that, because we win that way,” She whispered.

“The magic is dark though, Babs, are you really ready to pay that price?” Zatanna asked.

“I don’t have another option,” she murmured as her fingers carded through her son’s hair. “Tommy’s life depends on this.”

“I warn you now, demons are tricky, Babs, you will have to be specific so there are no loopholes or escape routes, this is no angel we are dealing with. A demon will double cross you the moment your back is turned,” Zatanna warned. “Fallen Titan or not.”

“Dick Trusted Her,” Barbara stated firmly.

“And she’s not who she was anymore,” Zatanna said.

“Summon the demon Zee, we don’t have much time,” Barbara said as she picked up Tommy’s backpack and she carefully maneuvered his tiny body into it. She didn’t want to do this, she didn’t want to ever let him go, she didn’t want…

There was so much she wanted to tell him, to teach him, to show him.

Barbara wanted to be there, she wanted to hug him when he was upset, kiss his booboos, tell him stories of dragons and magic, to teach him how to use a computer, to catch him when he fell, help him up when he stumbled. She wanted him to know how much she loved him.

She wanted to be there when he got his first report card, to beam with pride when he brought home his first date, she wanted to go to Little League games, and watch him be Robin, she wanted to be his mom. Mostly, she wanted Dick here and for them to be a family.

However, that would never be, not as long as HE lived, so she would do what she could; as any mother would do, she would keep him safe.

* * *

 

Barbara roused to a rare morning of sunlight filtering through her little house’s window which had her moaning as she rolled away from the light. Her hand slid over the smooth sheets of the empty bed which had her frowning as she opened her eyes to see Luke’s side of the bed empty. Pushing herself up to her elbows she looked around their room, didn’t see him or his pants which had her pulling herself over to her chair, getting out of bed she grabbed the discarded Knights jersey from last night and then situated herself before releasing the break and rolling forward.

“Shshsh, I got you baby girl,” Luke was murmuring which had Barbara peering into the room they had set up for emergency foster kids. It wasn’t often, but Barbara and Renee had talked it over, and some kids; particularly babies and toddlers; were coming from dire circumstances and an emergency network was set up for the safety of the kids when CPS couldn’t come get them. Friday Renee had shown up on their doorstep with a baby and baby bag and an emergency.

“How’s she doing this morning?” Babs yawned as she dragged a hand through her hair. The girl was about Jake’s age, a little younger with light green-blue eyes, and a head of straight red hair that stood up in every direction imaginable.

“Better,” Luke smiled. Carrie Kelly, age nineteen months old, was a case of extreme neglect, and after being in the hospital for three months being nursed back to health her parents had resurfaced wanting to reclaim her. Renee Montoya and her partner Maggie Sawyer had opted to put Carrie in protective custody and that was what had lead to Barbara and Luke having the toddler in their home. “Aren’t you better my baby girl?” Luke whispered.

The baby smiled as she patted Luke’s cheek.

“She’s a cutie,” Babs chuckled as her husband was captivated by her.

“She’s adorable,” Luke said. “My precious little girl, going to love her forever and ever!”

“We can’t keep her, Luke,” Barbara reminded him. They had never gotten attached to any of the weekend babies who came to their care before they were whisked away to safer homes and futures. But there was something different about how Luke was looking at Carrie.

“Why not?” Luke asked. Barbara stared at him dumbly, she had thought he didn’t want kids, as the topic had never come up. And fostering to keep babies and toddlers safe before moving them to safe homes was different. But the way Luke was looking at Carrie… it was like he had found his daughter.

“Because she’s a victim in a child neglect case and her parents haven’t lost parental rights, and she needs… a, a-a a stable home!” Barbara announced finally after scrambling for a reasonable argument.

“They aren’t her parents Babs, and we know it,” he snapped, his ebony hand ran through Carrie’s carrot colored locks.

“Luke, we aren’t… I…” she started.

Carrie broke their brewing fight with an epic fart, which had her and Luke staring at the toddler.

“Oopsie Poopsie!” Carrie giggled.

“Your turn, I’ll make the coffee,” Luke said dropping the toddler in her lap, Babs stared at the little girl with suspicion.

“You’re trouble.” She muttered.

* * *

**Earth 22 - Dark Multiverse**

Zatanna finished her prepping as she stood, the candles were lit, and everything was eerie right now. Tommy never roused.

“Last chance to back out,” Zatanna warned her.

“He needs to be safe, Zee,” Barbara whispered tightly. Her heart was breaking as she stood there holding her toddler close to her heart. She couldn’t let him go just yet.

“This is very dark magic, Barbara, you will have to do exactly as I tell you, and do exactly what is required of you.”

“Have you done dark magic before?” Barbara asked.

“No, I got the spell from Constantine’s journals, it was his contingency plan,” Zatanna said.

“For what?”

“Raven was not a normal demon, Barbara, Constantine had a plan for if she ever got out of control or she was dragged into the manipulations of Trigon.”

“Let’s do this,” Barbara said firmly.

“Very well, take my hand.

 “Astrachios asach abedumar silet scigin lord of all, Lucifer, whose glance searchest the abyss, grant me the power to conceive in my mind, and the power to execute that all which I desire to do! Oh Lucifer! I give unto thee my soul! My inward parts! My desires! And my entire being! Sweet lady Raven!” Zatanna spoke in a rhythmic chant. The pressure in the room shift, Barbara’s breath caught in her throat as the shadows shifted.

“Do not release my hand!” Zatanna snapped. “Astrachios asach abedumar silet scigin lord of all, Lucifer, whose glance searchest the abyss, grant me the power to conceive in my mind, and the power to execute that all which I desire to do! Oh Lucifer! I give unto thee my soul! My inward parts! My desires! And my entire being! Sweet Gem of Scath!” Zatanna continued.

The carvings on the floor ignited into blue flames as the candles sprung to life and there was a clap of thunder as the shadows converged, spinning around as there was a blinding flash of blue fire and a low inhuman chuckle before a tall figure slashed the flames away and stood there in a tall regal form stood the demoness.

Four glowing yellow eyes, red skin, her armor was revealing and mystical, feathery almost in design, and pure black as her claws reached forward.

“Raven,” Zatanna greeted.

Raven’s proud features had her lips curling up and away to reveal her fangs which had Barbara’s hand clenching tighter in Zatanna’s as Raven walked forward. Her hair was stark white, almost smokey, and if it wasn’t for the bone structure Barbara wouldn’t have even recognized her as Raven.

“You summoned,” a seductive smoky voice purred as she reached for Zatanna’s face.

“I need your help,” Barbara said, keeping Tommy closer to her.

* * *

 

Barbara rolled up to her dining table, Luke put a mug before her as she put Carrie up in the high chair.

“Luke, you know we can’t keep her, right?” Babs said as she looked at Carrie who was all big eyes at Luke who was smiling at her as he walked over to run his fingers through Carrie’s fluffy hair.

“Why not, Babs? Look at her, she needs a home,” Luke said.

“I…”

“Babs I’m not pushing you for this, but she needs a home, and love,” Luke said as he sat down tracing Carrie’s cheek then. Babs stared at the baby who was staring in absolute adoration of Luke right then.

“Luke, she needs parents. Are you saying you want to do that?”

“Babs, why don’t you?”

Barbara blinked a few times. Luke wasn’t looking at her, he was looking at Carrie who was smiled. She only smiled for Luke, Renee said Carrie was a colicky, whining baby, who didn’t ever smile or laugh.

“Because…” Barbara started. “Because we can’t be parents!” she sputtered.

“We?” Luke suddenly snapped over to her then, a sharp look in his normally warm chocolate eyes.

“You know what I mean; Batwing, Oracle,” she gestured. “ ** _WE_** are not parent material.”

“And what does B do?” Luke snapped.

“In case you didn’t notice they have a communal village thing going and **_WE_** are not a part of it as **_WE_** are not of the village,” Barbara stated firmly.

“That’s bullshit,” Luke stated.

“No it’s not, Jay even moved back in to help them with the babies! Tim lives there, Cass does too, even Kate stays there!” Babs snapped. “No way my dad will watch her every night, neither will your sister or parents; don’t even say they would!”

“Babs, the Bats rotate, you know this,” he snapped. “What is this really about!?” he demanded.

“I…”

“Babs, what is this REALLY About!?” his tone sharp. “Do you not want a family with me? Cause I want a family! I want a family with you. I married you!”

“You don’t get it!” she snapped.

“Then tell me what I’m missing?” he ordered. “Cause I married you because I love you and so we can have a life outside of the Bats.”

“Lucas, I can’t!” she snapped. “I… I already did this, I can’t lose a baby again,” Barbara hissed as the sob caught in her throat. CPS would take that baby away, or worse those parents, and Barbara couldn’t live with the mere idea of getting attached to another baby.

“We aren’t losing her Babs! She’s right here, in our home,” Luke stated.

“This is temporary, Luke, this, we just keep her safe, she’s not ours,” Barbara said as she stared at him. “I can’t…”

“Can’t what?” Luke snapped.

“I can’t be a mom! I couldn’t even save my own baby!” she shrieked as she rolled away. Grabbing her coat as she left.


End file.
